

The salty, briny, beguiling minerality is what lingers longest on the finish. The tannins are firm yet polished, intense yet behaved.
#Tembo pinot noir full
Seductive, supple and spicy, it is undoubtedly full figured and hauntingly complex, with layers of dark cherry, charcuterie, sea breeze and forest floor. Even in its youth this wine packs a punch and delivers unbelievable beauty, opening in aromas of perfume and game. Wayfarer 2015 Wayfarer Vineyard Estate Grown Pinot Noir (Fort Ross-Seaview) $90, 99 points. It’s thick, supple and lingering-an ethereal and extraordinary wine. It hits the palate with a powerfully woven matrix of lush flavors: blueberry, plum, cherry, chocolate, butterscotch and toasted coconut. Its compact berry, plum jam and baking spice scents come with underlying mineral and earth notes. This 100% Pommard clone wine from a 1990 planting is immensely deep, dark and textural, with complex aromas that instantly draw one in.

Patricia Green Cellars 2016 Estate Vineyard Bonshaw Block Pinot Noir (Ribbon Ridge) $60, 100 points. Ready to see what made the cut? Read on to see our best Pinot Noirs of 2018. Selections include a range of offerings from Sonoma to Burgundy, but also include California’s Central Coast, North Coast, Mendocino and, as one of only 15 wines to score 100 points last year, a Willamette Valley standout. We’ve combed through our extensive Buying Guide of the over 24,000 wines reviewed last year to find the 13 most top-rated Pinot Noirs from our 2018 tastings.

While there are a number of amazing bottlings to be found across all styles, regions, ranges and price points, there’s something to be said for celebrating the absolute best of the best in wine.
